Septic tank treatment plant permit requirements

knittingnanny1102

I am looking to buy a property which has a fairly newly installed treatment plant a couple of years old and replaces the old septic tank set up.  
It is a slightly unusual situation where the new plant is installed in a slightly new position with all the old pipework being utilised with the final discharge which has been in place for 50 years plus remaining the same into the river.  
My question is... Is this considered an existing discharge for general binding rules.  It makes a huge difference as to if we need a permit or not due to the number of conditions which apply??

WIAWSNB

Hi k'nanny.

I don't know.

But, the new TP must obviously conform to requirements, and - I understand - have Building Control sign-off. 

Your conveyancing solicitor should be asking these Qs of the vendor's - cert of conformity, etc. 

This is a sole-use TP? It doesn't surprise me that it's in a slightly different location, as this would likely have made the changeover easier; you can keep the ST running until the new TP is ready, and removing an old ST can be a pain. 

I'd ask at the LA - was it signed of? If 'yes', then I'd be reassured. The owners must have paperwork? 

What is your concern? The discharge from a TP is far easier to handle than that of a ST, and I understand can include watercourses. Where does it currently discharge in/on to? I'd have thought the worst-case scenario for you would be that a soakaway is required - £5k tops? 

Albermarle

At the top of the forum is a search box.
If you type 'Septic Tank; in it you will see a few different threads on the subject.
They will not all be relevant of course, but you might find some useful info. 

knittingnanny1102

WIAWSNB said:

Hi k'nanny.

I don't know.

But, the new TP must obviously conform to requirements, and - I understand - have Building Control sign-off. 

Your conveyancing solicitor should be asking these Qs of the vendor's - cert of conformity, etc. 

This is a sole-use TP? It doesn't surprise me that it's in a slightly different location, as this would likely have made the changeover easier; you can keep the ST running until the new TP is ready, and removing an old ST can be a pain. 

I'd ask at the LA - was it signed of? If 'yes', then I'd be reassured. The owners must have paperwork? 

What is your concern? The discharge from a TP is far easier to handle than that of a ST, and I understand can include watercourses. Where does it currently discharge in/on to? I'd have thought the worst-case scenario for you would be that a soakaway is required - £5k tops? 

Thanks for the comments.  My concern is over which general binding rules need to be followed and it makes a huge difference in rules if the discharge is considered a new or existing one.  

WIAWSNB

Sorry - I just don't know.

Who is asking about this?

I understand the TP should have been signed off by Building Control - has it been? If 'yes', then what more is required? They should have signed off every aspect, thereby acknowledging it conforms. 

knittingnanny1102

WIAWSNB said:

Sorry - I just don't know.

Who is asking about this?

I understand the TP should have been signed off by Building Control - has it been? If 'yes', then what more is required? They should have signed off every aspect, thereby acknowledging it conforms. 

Yes we have a building control sign off, but that is different from checking if it requires an environmental permit as its discharge is to a river.  You need to be able to comply to a number of general binding rules which tells you if a permit is required or not.  And depending if the discharge is considered new or existing  depends on which rules you need to follow.

knittingnanny1102

WIAWSNB said:

Sorry - I just don't know.

Who is asking about this?

I understand the TP should have been signed off by Building Control - has it been? If 'yes', then what more is required? They should have signed off every aspect, thereby acknowledging it conforms. 

Building regulations are concerned with the construction and location aspects of the plant.  General binding Rules are completely separate and  to do with the discharge element.  They are concerned with disposal of wastewater  responsibly and for preventing environmental damage 

WIAWSNB

knittingnanny1102 said:

WIAWSNB said:

Sorry - I just don't know.

Who is asking about this?

I understand the TP should have been signed off by Building Control - has it been? If 'yes', then what more is required? They should have signed off every aspect, thereby acknowledging it conforms. 

Building regulations are concerned with the construction and location aspects of the plant.  General binding Rules are completely separate and  to do with the discharge element.  They are concerned with disposal of wastewater  responsibly and for preventing environmental damage 

Who is asking?

You know the make and model of the TP? And it's a recent design? And do you know who installed it?

I would imagine - but check with the manufacturer - that discharge into rivers and other watercourses is ok. Also, surely they - and the installer - know what the binding rules are? They must be asked about this with pretty much every installation?